Golden Gate University vs UC Merced

Golden Gate University and University of California-Merced, while both esteemed institutions of higher learning in California, offer distinct educational experiences. Golden Gate University, a private university located in the heart of San Francisco, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on professional programs, with popular majors in business, law, and accounting. In contrast, University of California-Merced, a public university situated in the Central Valley, emphasizes undergraduate education and research, with popular majors in biological sciences, social sciences, and engineering. Acceptance rates, student demographics, and graduation rates also vary between the two universities, making it essential for prospective students to delve into the comparison table to find the institution that best aligns with their academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Golden Gate University logo

Golden Gate University

University of California-Merced logo

University of California-Merced

Overview

Location San Francisco, California Merced, California
Campus setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Trimester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 79.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate N/A 86.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 27,793
Total number of admissions given out 24,068
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,410
Yield rate 10.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A
High school GPA N/A Required
Recommendation letters N/A Not required
High school transcript N/A Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $28,870

Out of state: $58,624
Average net price $11,586
Tuition
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
Room & board $18,901
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

92.0%
Average amount $21,623
Students receiving federal student loan 18.0%
Average amount $4,470
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $2,687

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 691
Men 72.5% Women 27.5%
8,321
Men 47.7% Women 52.3%
Graduate students 1,734
Men 49.0% Women 51.0%
772
Men 55.8% Women 44.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 0.2%
International students 3.9% 8.7%
Campus local/setting City: Large Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity N/A 3,634
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A California Alaska Idaho Missouri Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Legal Profession
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering
  • Physical Science
  • Social Sciences
  • English Language and Literature
  • Psychology
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 19:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate N/A 71.6%
Dropout rate N/A 5.0%
Transferred out N/A 22.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $117,549
  • Year 2: $88,861
  • Year 3: $109,474
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,511
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $94,130
Taxation (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,862
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $93,383
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $73,949
  • Year 3: $90,343
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,847
  • Year 2: $71,734
  • Year 3: $85,000
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,635
  • Year 2: $52,789
  • Year 3: $72,347
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,879
  • Year 2: $66,941
  • Year 3: $71,885
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,901
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $62,649
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $102,600
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,062
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,675
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $68,164
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,936
  • Year 2: $51,392
  • Year 3: $67,761
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,771
  • Year 2: $43,000
  • Year 3: $57,642
Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,420
  • Year 2: $39,729
  • Year 3: $53,045
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,245
  • Year 2: $41,937
  • Year 3: $50,288
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,755
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $49,047
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,917
  • Year 2: $38,721
  • Year 3: $47,958
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,685
  • Year 2: $31,391
  • Year 3: $43,274
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,397
  • Year 2: $29,685
  • Year 3: $42,368
Cognitive Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,909
  • Year 2: $28,960
  • Year 3: $40,928